Scaffolding is commonly used in the construction industry for supporting workers above the ground and for use as a shoring tower or structure. Scaffolding comes in many configurations but generally is available in end frame pieces which are releasably connected by braces or cross braces. Connectors or brace locks are necessary to connect or interlock the braces to the end frames to form a substantially rigid structure. Quick assembly or dismantling is an important feature in scaffolding as the scaffolding is repeatedly assembled and dismantled.
Several types of connectors are commercially available. One such connector is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,574. This connector consists of a barrel having a depressible latch swingably mounted therein and normally projecting outwardly. The latch has a handle projecting from the outer end of the barrel and is spring loaded whereby the latch can swing inwardly into the barrel. The cross-braces have an aperture through their ends which can fit over the barrel. The cross brace end is slipped over and along the barrel whereby the latch swings inwardly allowing the barrel to fully mate with the cross brace end. The latch swings outwardly to prevent the cross brace from being removed from the barrel. To remove the brace, the latch is depressed, swinging the latch into the barrel allowing the brace to be removed from the barrel.
This connector generally has been satisfactory. However in prolonged use, the springs wear out losing their effectiveness. Further, the springs occasionally break causing inconvenience and costs in repair and replacement of the broken springs.
Still other types of connectors are commercially available. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrates a common prior art connector. This connector comprises a barrel having a slot in the end thereof. A latch is pivotally mounted within the slot and is offset. When the barrel is in a horizontal orientation, the latch pivots downwardly. The brace is presented to the barrel and inserted therethrough. The latch pivots upwardly allowing the brace to pass and then pivots downwardly by force of gravity preventing the brace from being removed. To remove the brace the latch is pivoted upwardly until it is fully within the slot and aligned with the barrel allowing the brace to be removed.
In use, this type of connector is difficult to align the latch fully within the barrel to remove the brace. These connectors are designed to operate either right side up or upside down, allowing the end frame to be installed in either orientation. The latch is therefore configured to pivot in either direction When the worker presses the latch upwardly, the latch is able to pass through the slot and extend upwardly preventing the brace from being removed. Quite often the worker dismantling a tower is wearing gloves which reduces the dexterity of the worker making it very difficult to remove the brace. Further, the worker is normally removing the upper frames of a tower and is therefore required to hang onto the frame with one hand allowing only one hand to remove the brace. The difficulties in removing the braces are amplified in these circumstances creating an unnecessary safety risk.
The disadvantages of the prior art may be overcome by providing a connector which has a latch which can secure a brace for assembling a rigid tower and which can be easily and quickly aligned with the barrel to permit the removal of the brace.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a barrel having one end adapted to be mounted onto a frame and an opposite end having a longitudinally extending slot. A pivot pin and an abutment pin extends across the slot and mounted at the opposite end of the barrel. A free hanging latch, having an offset aperture for pivotally mounting onto the pivot pin and a channel for receiving the abutment pin, pivots between a locked position wherein one end thereof hangs beyond the diameter of the barrel to prevent egress of a connected brace and an unlocked position wherein the latch substantially aligns with the barrel. The improvement comprises one end of the channel being configured to abut with the abutment pin when the latch is in the locked position and the other end of the channel being configured to abut the abutment pin when the latch is in the unlocked position and the latch has a tab which is offset beyond the end of the barrel whereby pressing on the tab, the latch pivots from the locked position to the unlocked position allowing egress of the brace from the connector. The assembly or dismantling of brace and frame may be accomplished with one hand.